Present Your Body to God

Present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
–Romans 6:13

How do we as believers deal with the sin in our lives? Paul said we are to present our bodies to God. Paul said in Romans 6:12-13, “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

Now that you know what is really true about your old nature and your new nature, start acting in accordance with what is true. Stop presenting your body as an instrument of sin. Start presenting it as an instrument of righteousness.

Here is what Paul was saying: Stop filling your eyes with pornographic and immoral images, and start filling your eyes with the truth that comes from God’s Word. Stop using your tongues to slander people, to cause divisiveness, to spread lies. Instead, use your tongues to build up other people. Stop allowing your feet to take you places you know God does not want you to go, and instead use your feet to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Stop allowing your minds to be controlled by fear, and start allowing your minds to be controlled by the peace of God. Stop allowing your appetites and your addictions to destroy your life, and start bringing those appetites and addictions under the control of the Holy Spirit. That is what Paul was saying in this passage. Because of who you are in Christ, because your old nature is crucified and your new nature has been strengthened with supernatural power, present your bodies to God. Be dead to sin and alive to Christ.

You say, “What if, after being saved, I find myself back in serving Satan and sin?” If you find yourself as a Christian serving Satan again, then one of three things is true. Number one, you will not want to stay there. If you are in Christ, you will not be comfortable with your old way of living any longer. Number two, God will intervene in your life. He will bring such hard things into your life that you will voluntarily remove yourself, or in some instances God will remove you. He will take you home to be with Him rather than leave you here in the world to bring shame to His name. And number three, if you find yourself serving sin again, you may never have been saved to begin with. This does not mean you lose your salvation; it simply means you never had it to begin with. As 1 John 3:9 says, “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” Paul asked the question: How can those who have died to sin still live in it? His answer: It is impossible. The message of the Bible over and over is this: Only those who are saved are truly free from the power of sin. And only those who are free from the power of sin are truly saved.

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Welcome to First Baptist Dallas! Our mission is to transform the world with God's Word...one life at a time. We are a church with a legacy that is built on the Bible, and we continue that legacy today. With multiple service times and options, as well as age group Sunday School classes, we have something for everyone. Join us on Sundays in person or online beginning at 9:15am.